![Snowfall in Herald Square. - [Image credit – Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/3/7/660x290/b_502x220x82/snowfall-in-herald-square-image-credit-jimhenderson-wikimedia-commons_1872643.jpg "Snowfall in Herald Square. - [Image credit – Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons]")
The East Coast is in the grip of a terrible mix of rain and snowfall which could leave more than a foot of snow in parts of New England. The nor'easter could leave up to 18 inches of snowfall in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania and portions of Massachusetts. Some places in Maine and New Hampshire could face up to two feet of snow. The Daily Mail UK reports that the snow could be falling at the rate of one to three inches per hour in some places. This has already led to the cancellation of many flights and more could follow if the situation worsens.
Weather is a matter of concern
The East Coast has yet to recover fully from the storm that had damaged the power supply lines and left more than two million without electricity. Work to restore the lines is still not fully completed. Motorists are being advised to avoid travel to the extent possible to enable the crews to clear the roadways. The nor'easter could create problems related to cleanup and restoration work which, in turn, might lead to travel delays, power outages and damage from falling trees. The National Weather Service has issued necessary winter storm warning that would cover certain critical areas. Nearly 60 million people could find themselves in the path of the storm and associated rain and snowfall.
Philadelphia is gearing up to face four to six inches of snow and schools have been canceled for the day. There are fears that heavy, wet snow coupled with strong winds could uproot trees that are already weakened. That could break transmission lines and disturb the power supply. Boston could get one to three inches of snow, but that could reach levels of 10 inches or more in inland suburbs.
The general forecast is that, depending on the route of the nor'easter, those who live along the Interstate 95 corridor could witness heavy rain, heavy snow or a mix of both.
Control global warming
Nature plays truant when there is no control over global warming. The nor'easter raging across the East Coast is a result of such a phenomenon which results in droughts and wildfires.
These play havoc with the environment and destroy the green cover which is necessary to maintain the ecological balance. If global warming is controlled, such vagaries of nature can be avoided. The United States has faced the wrath of three hurricanes in quick succession in 2017 and has not yet fully recovered from damages to its infrastructure. There must be a concerted effort to check the menace of rising temperatures to avoid such natural disasters.
